New Year’s Resolutions and Goals

I love reading posts about new year’s resolutions, and I love planning for the year ahead. So many possibilities, and so many opportunities to make the year ahead better than the last!

Now that I’ve finished the PhD (until the examiners’ report comes in, that is) I want to start planning for 2013. Whilst I am fortunate to have received a scholarship to support my PhD research, it will be great to have a proper salary again and start saving for the future! Thus, my goals and resolutions for 2013 are as follows:

Save for a house: My partner and I have been talking a lot about real estate and what we should buy. We are so tempted to buy an old federation house and renovate, or we could buy a lovely block of land and build, or perhaps buy an apartment in the city and a house in the country. This is what we’re considering at the moment:

Contender 1 - Renovate large federation house and have own hill to live on.

Contender 2 - Build on massive 100 acre block with views to the ocean. Continue to live on own hill.

Contender 3 - Divide our funds to buy an apartment in South Perth and a house in the country. Potential to have own hill severly diminished.

Continue my academic writing: On speaking to others who have completed a PhD, the biggest regret I hear is that they didn’t pursue their academic writing post-PhD. I want to try and publish two or three academic articles in the next year and keep the academic side of my brain thinking. I’m also considering doing some tutoring at university.

Do some freelance writing: I’ve accepted a commission to write a lit review for a prominent Australian newspaper, so it’ll be interesting to see what the whole process is like. I’m looking forward to writing in a style that’s not primarily academic!

Help out others in my new job: I’ve worked at one of the top private schools in Australia for most of my teaching career, but I’ve recently accepted a position to teach at a rural school in the area where I grew up. I’m really hoping to contribute something to the local community and help students who don’t have $22,000 per year to pay for fees.

Get my skin in great condition: DIY has been such a saviour for my skin. Rather than lamenting all that sundamage I’ve gathered over the years, DIY skincare gives me a way to actually do something about it and feel better about the way I look. Not only is it more potent and effective than anything you buy over the counter, it’s MUCH cheaper too. I want to try dermarolling in the new year and see if I can improve my skin still further.

Exercise: Whilst I’m very happy with the way I eat now (80% – 90% vegan, no refined carbs or refined sugar) and I no longer have to worry about my weight (which is good, because I have so many other things to think about!) exercising has fallen by the wayside. When I was finishing my PhD I spent every waking moment writing, and exercise was thrown aside. I’d like to pick it up again in the new year, though. A new pair of trainers is in order!

Take time to enjoy life: I tend to work a lot. I’ll continue to work in the early mornings before I head into my full time job, and when I come home in the evenings, and on Sundays, but I’m going to trial the idea of having a full Saturday off and see how it goes.

So let’s see! I’m very excited for 2013. Have you been thinking about your new year’s resolutions? Tell me about them in the comments or link me to your post! I’d love to read about them.

Ooh, all your house plans sound lovely! Wouldn’t be able to choose.
I’ll keep dreaming about actually making enough to save one day – Sydney is so expensive even to rent in, but the wages are the same irregardless.

You’ve achieved so much in 2012 and your 2013 sounds full of such amazing opportunities. I’m glad you’re pursuing academic writing, although I have no idea how you manage to fit so many things into your schedule!

@JenW Thankyou! I’m really excited about the year ahead. I’ve sent off one academic article already, and I want to sort out one more before I head back to work too. Haha! We don’t have the hectic schedule out in the country that you Melbourne girls do

Yay I love reading these new year’s goals posts too, my favourite time of year, it’s so inspiring! I particularly like your goal about helping others out in your new job, it’s always refreshing to see people interested in giving back.
I published my goals yesterday too, I think the biggest thing about blogging them is that because they’re public, it makes you feel like you need to be accountable for them. Good luck with your goals!

Hiya, I have been reading your blog for ages but first time I have commented, so good to see you back posting again. I would love to hear more about your phd!
I love your resolutions, the property one is so exciting! I vote for the best of both worlds approach, but then again I am a city lover
One of my resolutions is to finally get involved in DIY skincare and you have been my main inspiration, just put my order through at SEA today
Also inspired by many to start my own blog which I did today also!
Huzzah for 2013!

@Nat I know how you feel! That’s roughly the way the years of my life have been split until now. I feel drawn to both the country and the city, and will probably always move between the two. Thankyou for your good wishes!

I feel that I can live vicariously through your uplifting plans and resolutions – I too love the hill with a sea view, my own house which is shared with OH and teenager, and whilst being on the outskirts of a big city has a view from my bed of fields and trees and is the most restful of things. Good luck with your plans.

I love the old house on the hill, but I am an outdoors person. It would be cool to live in a fancy apartment, but I would get tired of the lack of outdoor beauty. I found your blog through a comment you made about Tanaka massage, and I tried it. I was so impressed with the results. I was already using the OCM method with a light massage, but the Tanaka massage was great! Thanks for the info.

Please don’t take this wrong way. You are very attractive and doing great with your skin improvement but you need to shut your mouth. There isn’t a single photo of you with your mouth closed! Look up mouth breathing, myofacial, lip trainer etc etc on internet. Your skin will never be at its best until you fix your lip seal. I think you will always be fighting nasal labia folds and cheek sag / asymmetry etc if you don’t get a good lip seal. It would really help you, your skin, your health etc. xx